The Ultimate Guide to Renting a Party Bus

While they’ve grown exponentially in popularity in recent years, party buses are still a relatively new way to spend an exhilarating night out on the town.

It’s not uncommon to find people who have either never heard of a party bus or who don’t really know how a party bus rental works.

For those reasons, I have created an all-in-one guide on everything “party bus rentals”. From defining a party bus to finding the best places to rent one, this guide will cover it all. Let’s get started!

What Is a Party Bus?

A party bus is essentially a large vehicle (typically a converted van, coach, minibus, or bus) that has been designed and/or renovated for recreational purposes. Party buses are usually built to carry between 10-50 passengers, with some models being able to carry more. The party bus is driven by a chauffeur who meets all of the requirements for driving such a vehicle as required by the state.

One of the biggest appeals of a party bus is the extra amenities that typically come equipped inside them. These amenities can include upgraded sound systems, fog machines, strobe lights, disco lights, laser lights, luxury seats, mirrored windows, and a party pole (aka, stripper pole).

On top of the above amenities, party buses can also come equipped with handicap-accessible equipment, bathrooms, T.V.s, powered doors, and more. The amount of amenities you receive with a party bus will depend greatly on the price and location of the party bus rental.

Why Choose a Party Bus?

Party buses make an extremely entertaining form of transportation for events that typically include group participation – proms, homecomings, weddings, bachelor and bachelorette parties, weekend road trips, birthday parties, holidays, and more.

On top of the experience you’ll receive inside the bus, they also offer special privileges and accommodations that you won’t get by other means of transportation:

Social Proof – You and your party will get attention from onlookers, guaranteed. It’s hard not to notice a party bus pull up with a group of people stepping out of it, having the time of their lives.

Convenience – Once you finalize the rental, the party bus will pick you up wherever you need it to. There’s no set meeting place or requirements. You tell them where to go and they’ll be there.

Alcohol Allowed – In most areas, alcohol is allowed inside the party bus as long as everyone in the group is 21 and older. For this reason, many party buses have designated spots in them for keeping your stash of liquor, beer, and mixed drinks, along with glasses and other accessories.

Is a Party Bus Safe To Travel In?

The short answer is yes. Party buses are just as safe to ride in as any other form of public transportation. Most countries have regulations in place specifically for operating large vehicles like party buses.

For example, the United States has regulations in place that require drivers who operate motor vehicles that can carry more than 16 passengers to have a commercial driver’s license (or, CDL) with a Passenger Endorsement.

Also, if the company will be operating in multiple states, the company must obtain Operating Authority via the Department of Motor Vehicles. Then, the additional states they are operating in may have their own regulations that must be followed.

On top of the regulations, almost all party bus rental companies take extreme precautions when hiring drivers. For instance, the driver must have a clean driving record (no speeding tickets, DUIs, etc.) and must pass a drug-screening test before being hired.

How Much Does It Cost To Rent a Party Bus?

The prices for renting a party bus can vary significantly. Many factors come into play when finalizing pricing – the duration of the rental, the model and size of the party bus, the amenities and extras included, the distance being traveled, etc.

To give you a ballpark figure, prices usually start around $100 an hour and go up from there. Some luxurious part buses can reach hourly rates into the thousands. And weekend trips to Las Vegas can run anywhere from $1500 one way, and up.

One important thing to keep in mind is that the larger your group is, the less expensive it will be per person. For example, a 20-person group and a 30-person group can, in most cases, fit inside of the same bus. Therefore, the 30-person group would individually pay a great deal less than the 20-person group would.

The only concrete way to price party bus rentals and find the best rates is to call each company that’s local to where you want to rent the bus. It’s admittedly a boring and time-consuming task; however, there is no better way to do it.

Where Can You Rent a Party Bus?

You can rent a party bus from virtually any destination. The trick is in finding the rental companies that are closest to you. And for that, we have the internet!

Like most searches done on the internet, Google is always one of the best places to start. Perform a search using phrases such as “party bus rentals [your location]”, “limo rentals [your location]”, and “limo bus rentals [your location]”.

If you’re located inside the United States, then Limos.com might be a viable option for you. Simply enter in the details of the rental, and Limos.com will find matches for you. It does require your email address to send the info. It’s important to not here that a lot of limo companies offer party buses as well.

Word-of-Mouth

While not internet related, this is the best way to find a company you can trust, because usually, the person recommending it is someone whose recommendation you can trust. Ask your friends, coworkers, and acquaintances if they’ve ever rented a party bus, or if they know someone who has.

What To Do Once You’ve Found a Company

Once you’ve found a company you like, book the party bus as soon as possible. Unlike limousines, which are seemingly everywhere, supply of party buses is currently very limited in comparison. So, it’s never a guarantee that one will be available when you need it.

5 Things To Consider When Renting a Party Bus

By now, you should have a solid grasp on what a party bus is, how they operate, where to find them, and how to price them. Now, I leave you with five of the most important things you need to consider when renting a party bus. Follow these, and the process should go a lot smoother for you.

Party buses are limited by law to the number of people they can accommodate on a bus. So, make sure you know for certain how many people will be in your group before you book the rental.

Have a good idea of how long you will require the party buses services. Party buses charge by the hour, whether the group is inside of them or not. For example, if you’re renting a party bus for prom, you will be charged for the ride to the prom, the time spent inside the prom and out of the party bus, and the amount of time you are in the bus after you leave the prom.

All party buses have their own rules and regulations. Some allow dancing in the seats, while others don’t. Some will provide alcohol, while others ask that you bring your own. It’s important that you ask what the rules and regulations are before you book the rental.

Party bus companies have been known to accommodate special requests at an additional premium. So, if you’d like to make a special request, such as a bottle of champagne awaiting you and your guests inside, then don’t be afraid to ask.

This last one gets ignored quite often. Find out how much experience the driver of your party bus has. Experience can mean the difference between an amazing night out and a terrible night out. It takes a lot of experience to drive a bus full of people partying into the wee hours of the morning. Make sure you’re getting an experienced driver.